View the Lifestyle magazine to learn more about what’s happening around the Club, departmental updates, and upcoming events
ON THE COVER
PARK & FARMS TEAM
Interested in joining the team? Contact Staff Engagement Coordinator Madison Elena at melena@bcc1898.com
Madison Elena
Shantae Fauntleroy
Taryn King
Jessica Noffsinger
Abby Rodriguez
Hannah Schmitt
Carrington Windl
QUICK LINKS
BCC Staff Page
Helping Hand Website
Staff Pastry Shop
Towson Mental Health
Password: BCC1898
TILLY THE BEAR
Can you find the Park & Farms mascot, Tilly? If you do, click on him to be entered into a monthly raffle for a gift card!
From left to right: Events Manager Caroline Pogust, Events Manager Hannah Epple, Assistant General Manager Rebecca Wyskiel, Events Director Heather Miller-Kent at the 35th Annual Fashion Show: Après Ski
GREENFOLDER STORIES
What sets Baltimore Country Club apart from other country clubs? Our people! Our staff members take every step to go above and beyond to accomplish our Simple Truth: Great People Make Favorite Places. Often, there are easy ways to make a positive impression on our members from saying happy birthday to congratulations on an award. However, not being afraid to make the big gestures is what distinguishes us.
We love sharing these stories of the Simple Truth! Submit your Simple Truth experience by filling out the Green Folder Stories form, located at the bottom of the Park & Farms email, in Park & Farms, the staff webpage, or scan the QR codes in the staff breakrooms. BCC encourages all members to submit their own or fellow staff members’ Green Folder Stories.
Staff Member of the Month
OCTOBER
2024
Gio Vargas Hernandez, Lead Bartender
Gio’s friendly demeanor and attentiveness has created a warm atmosphere at the bar for both members and teammates. While helping to bring the creativity to our cocktail menu he encourages the team to step outside the box when it comes to their ideas. For Gio’s outstanding performance, creativity, and commitment to providing exceptional service, we are proud to have Gio as one our Lead Bartenders and are excited to recognize him as our Staff Member of the Month. We thank him for his hard work, dedication, impressive photography skills, and look forward to the future with him on our team!
Exceptional Leadership
Wade Johnstone, Director of Squash
Wade received this award due to his proactive approach to boosting member engagement and enhancing the qualifications of the Racquets staff. Recognizing that registration numbers for Miller Matches were low, Wade took the initiative to personally reach out to a significant number of members, inviting them to participate and fostering a sense of community within the club. He also organized a US squash certification course, ensuring that all racquet staff in his department were fully certified. This combination of personal outreach and commitment to professional development exemplifies Wade's dedication to improving the Squash Program and supporting both members and staff, making him a deserving recipient of this award.
WHAT IS BCC YOUNIVERSITY?
BCC YOUniversity is a continuing education program geared to promote personal and professional growth for all BCC staff.
STAFF REQUIREMENT
All year-round Full-time and Part-time staff are required to participate. Seasonal staff are welcome to attend with supervisor approval.
• Full-time staff are required to obtain a minimum of 4.5 credits within the fiscal year (March 1-February 28)
• Part-time staff will be required to obtain a minimum of 3 credits within the fiscal year (March 1-February 28)
• All new staff are required to take one BCC Basic History course
NO SHOW POLICY
.5 Credit deduction for not attending class without prior cancellation notice. To cancel your class, login to Sign-Up Genius or contact Lauren Kourtsounis at lkourtsounis@bcc1898.com
TAX FACTS
Tax season is right around the corner! While this may be a daunting experience for some. Server and tax accountant Keirsten Funderburk, has your back! This comprehensive class is designed to demystify taxes and provide participants with the tools to navigate their financial obligations confidently. This engaging and informative course covers fundamental principles and strategies to help individuals and small business owners optimize their tax situation. “Tax Facts” is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to improve their tax literacy and take charge of their financial future.
JANUARY 2 | 10:00AM | 1 CREDIT
1ST AID/CPR/AED TRAINING
Though this a required 2-year training and certification for all full-time staff, this is a lifesaving tool to have on your belt. You will be taught all the right steps to take if you find yourself in a health emergency situation, and how to identify risks. There is nothing in the world more empowering than knowledge, and this is one of the most useful and pertinent skill sets to obtain. If you ever find yourself in this unfortunate situation, be the one that is coolheaded, confident, and responsible. A step to becoming that leader is making sure you are certified with this extensive and elaborative training.
JANUARY 16 | 9:00AM-2:30PM | 1 CREDIT
PROFESSIONAL EMAIL ETIQUETTE
Walking us through a workplace necessity, our Director of Communications Rachel Upton, will enlighten us on the do’s and don’ts of professional email etiquette. No matter your current position, this information is invaluable to your future and the way that you communicate with your peers and supervisors. Join us for 30 minutes, and you will be walking out of the room with fine-tuned skills and a newfound sense of confidence when interacting with others! This class is required for all Leadership and will be offered throughout the year.
JANUARY 16 | 3:00PM | .5 CREDIT
PERSONAL MEMBER
BCC 1 Credit 60min .5 credit 30-45 min
SOUP 101
A warm and inviting introduction to soup-making basics, taught by Joseph Gerst, the mastermind behind most of BCC’s delicious soups. Perfect for those who love cozy, comforting dishes, this course explores the fundamentals of creating crave-worthy soups ideal for winter. With Joseph’s expert guidance, participants will learn to prepare classic soups, master essential techniques, and explore the secrets to achieving rich flavors and perfect textures. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a beginner, this class will inspire you to create soups that bring warmth and joy to the table.
JANUARY 21 | 3:00PM | 1 CREDIT
COOKING 101: CHINESE NEW YEAR DUMPLINGS
To help celebrate the year of the dragon at BCC, we have our Events Manager Caroline Pogust, teaching us the art of making a dumpling. Caroline is half Chinese; her family hails from Hong Kong and Shanghai. Growing up, her grandmother was the one who first taught her the craft. She fondly remembers the big batches her grandmother would make, always reaching for a hot dumpling for a snack as opposed to a bag of chips. Now, she makes them with her mom and sister, even her niece and nephew, when they are in the country.
JANUARY 28 | 1:00PM | 1 CREDIT
A Baltimore Country Club
Recognized Charity
Our Mission
To extend charitable aid to Staff Members of Baltimore Country Club and their families in case of emergency or financial crisis, including, without limitation, injury, illness, abuse, natural disaster, hardship, or disability.
Helping Hand Christmas Support
With the generous toy drive contributions and monetary donations from our dedicated Staff Members, Helping Hand successfully provided meaningful support to 15 children and their parents during this season of giving. Thanks to your kindness and collective effort, we were able to bring smiles to the faces of these families, ensuring that their holidays were filled with joy and hope.
The Helping Hand committee extends its heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated by donating, organizing, or spreading the word. Your compassion and generosity genuinely embody the spirit of our community, and this incredible accomplishment could not have been achieved without your involvement. Thank you for helping us make a difference!
How to Request Assistance
Email helpinghand@bcc1898.com to request assistance and complete a Financial Assistance Request form. These may also be submitted to any committee member.
Once all necessary paperwork and documentation has been received, the committee members will discuss the request within 48 hours. The requesting staff member may also meet with the committee if they so choose.
Committee members
Juanita Bayer
Melissa Bowers
Madison Elena
Chris Jeffers
Suzy Jewett
Stephen Pletch
Rachel Upton
How You Can Help
Contribute via Payroll
The organization is funded through voluntary staff member contributions that are tax deductible through our 501(c)(3) status.
Contributions can be as low as $1 per pay period and can be adjusted at any time. This is a great way to help your coworkers that may find themselves in need of assistance.
If you would like to contribute, or are in need of assistance, please email helpinghand@bcc1898.com or contact any Helping Hand committee member.
FOOD FOOD DRIVE DRIVE
FEB 1-28
STAFF BREAKROOMS
WE NEED? WHAT
Get ready for an exciting opportunity to make a big difference this month! BCC is hosting a food drive in support of happy helpers and their teenager outreach initiative.
Suggested Items
• Large box of cereal
• Oatmeal or pancake mix with syrup
• Jar of peanut butter & jelly
• Cans of tuna with tuna helper
• Cans of soup
• Cans of ravioli
• Canned fruit and vegetables
• Container of powdered tea or lemonade
• Snack items like crackers or granola bars
Additional contributions, such as macaroni, cheese, or other miscellaneous items, are also welcome.
This collaborative effort ensures that teens facing homelessness have access to nourishing meals. Thank you for supporting our community!
To: Pro Shop
Multiple members of staff were available and attentive to my needs and helped me find every piece of apparel I was looking for and more!
From: Joshua Eure
To: Andrea Arbaiza & Jared Hedrick
Everything was fantastic! We always enjoy dinner at BCC and assume it will be excellent. And somehow, the food, service and overall experience always exceeds our expectations!! Thanks to everyone at BCC for making each dining experience wonderful.
From: Riva Kahn
To: Maggie Scully
Friendly staff, great food
To: Roland Park Grille
From: John Long
The people! Hannah does a great job and it’s always a pleasure to see Kayla! The specials have been great!
From: Paul McKinnell
To: Roland Park Grille
Asst f&b manager is excellent and engaging!
From: Kevin McCarthy
To: Five Farms À la Carte
Stephen, Jared, and Ian are terrific!
From: Kyle Gore
12/23 Children's Christmas Movie 2024
The kids all had a great time. It is a sweet event and the staff as always are what made it the most special! Thank you!
From: Caroline Arbaugh-Cannon
12/23 Holiday Dinner Buffet 2024
The attention to detail. Every single thing was excellent and the staff was amazing.
From: John McLoughlin
12/23 Holiday Dinner Buffet 2024
Abby nicely seated us at our traditional table on the porch by the Paddle courts. Thank-you!!
From: Stefanie Rose
12/23 Holiday Dinner Buffet 2024
How accommodating the staff was as additional unplanned guests arrived
From: Richard McShane
12/23 Holiday Dinner Buffet 2024
The carolers are a wonderful tradition! The decorations and overall ambiance is very festive, and the dinner buffet was exceptional. Finally the staff was very attentive and efficient. Thank you for a memorable family evening.
From: Lisa Stromberg
12/23 Holiday Dinner Buffet 2024
Everything was great HOME RUN! Sugar cookies are the best in town and Gio is a wonderful mixologist! Enjoyed the scallops!
From: John Long
12/23 Holiday Dinner Buffet 2024
Our waitress was lovely and attentive. The suckling pig was amazing.
From: Jennifer Hamed
12/23 Children's Christmas Movie 2024
One of my most favorite holiday traditions with the kids. It's a great way to kick off winter break and if you look around, the kids are so excited for this "sleepover' at the club! There are always hidden surprises planned by the team that are so thoughtful. I noticed the food spread was very plentiful and diverse. It was all delicious and catered to adults and kids. I also noticed that the servers seemed happy and had high energy. It was just overall a really happy and pleasant event. Thank you for all the creativity always! Our children are lucky.
From: Tara Gupta
12/22 Holiday Dinner Buffet 2024
Service staff did a great job. Live entertainment was excellent.
From: Theodore Reichhart
12/22 Holiday Dinner Buffet 2024
Thanks to Chef for always working to have many and a variety of gluten free options from start to finish. And a special thanks to Abby for being so responsive and helpful, as usual. Even helped us get a cup of Maryland crab soup for our daughter who can't eat gluten and loves it. Thanks again to Abby and all.
From: Brian Tucker
12/17 Adult Gingerbread Party 2024
Excellent choice of candy! The houses are a great size. Liked the apps & bar. The room was set up perfectly! Aprons were a good touch. Thoughtful that chefs visited us & gave awards. It was super fun! Thank you!
From: Holly Hoenes
12/21 Children's Santa Party 2024
Thank you for a beautiful holiday
From: Katherine Davis
Thank You
For a wonderful BCC Holiday Season! It couldn’t have withouthappened YOU!
To: Vicki Mack-Holmes
Vicki is a light in the kitchen. Inquisitive and insightful, she is a pillar for staff and a source of comfort for many. She is a key part of the culinary team and what makes BCC great.
From: Purchasing
To: Chef Mike
Chef Mike is so easy to talk to. He’s a strong leader but can also feel like a friend; he’s a good mix of everything. I’m happy that he’s one of my bosses; he’s one of the best I’ve ever had.
From: Culinary
Kudos Korner is composed of different compliments or ‘kudos’ heard around the halls and sent to Staff Engagement Coordinator Madison Elena melena@bcc1898.com. This is to make sure that even if you haven’t heard it from a coworker directly, they are thinking of you! There’s a lot of gratitude to be spread. Thank you for all that you do!
To: Melissa Hopkins
Melissa is hardworking and dedicated to her job. She is always at the Club early in the morning and even later into the evening, proving her dedication to ensuring that the supplies needed to get the job done for the culinary team are on time and plentiful. She truly has a kind heart and cares about her coworkers, making for a friendly greeting as you enter the F&B office!
From: Leadership
To: Melissa Bowers
Melissa B. is a sweetheart who always takes the time to say hello and ask how you are. She connects with all the staff and cares about how others are doing.
From: Food & Beverage
DECEMBER NEW HIRES
BCC Staff Referral Program
You know BCC and the candidates who have the right character, competency, and chemistry to be successful here. For details on how you may benefit from our Staff Member Referral Program, contact Lauren Kourtsounis at lkourtsounis@bcc1898.com or visit the staff page at bcc1898.com/staff-page
Merry Moments Highlights
This year, we had many winners of our Holiday Staff activities. Some had good eyes, and others had strong instincts. Congratulations to our Merry Moments winners!
Please note that staff members will not be compensated for attending the game. If they choose to attend, they must either use their paid time off or attend the game while off the clock.
